the role of power in effective leadership - · pdf filethe role of power in effective...

A CCL Research White Paper

The Role of Power inEffective Leadership

By: Vidula Bal

Michael CampbellJudith Steed

Kyle Meddings

Center for Creative Leadership, CCL®, and its logo are registered trademarks owned by the Center for Creative Leadership. © 2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

The Role of Power in Effective Leadership

C E N T E R F O R C R E AT I V E L E A D E R S H I P

CONTENTS

Executive Summary

Background

Power and Leadership

Sources of Power

The Power of Relationships

The Power of Information

Understanding the Organization’s Role

How Leaders Leverage Power Effectively

Reflection Questions

Resources

References

About the Authors

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4

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

The Ideas2Action (I2A) project is a Center for Creative Leadership

(CCL®) initiative aimed at achieving its goal of “ideas into action.”

The purpose of the project is to provide our participants and clients

with research that is timely and relevant to current challenges. The

research questions are also designed to aid in continuously updating

CCL program content and providing knowledge that is compelling to

our participant groups.

The purpose of this research is to understand how leaders use power,

to learn about the situations in which power is exerted and to describe

how individuals and organizations can improve their leadership through

the effective use of power.

The major findings of this research included:

1. Most leaders surveyed (94 percent) rated themselves as being moderately to extremely powerful at work. There is a notable correlation between leaders’ level in theorganization and how powerful they believe themselves to be at work.

2. 28 percent of the leaders surveyed agree that power is misused by top leaders intheir organization.

3. 59 percent of the leaders surveyed agree that their organization empowers people atall levels.

4. 41 percent of the leaders surveyed indicate that they would feel more powerful atwork if they had more formal authority.

5. The top three most frequently leveraged sources of power are: the power of expert-ise, the power of information and the power of relationships. The power of punishment, or the ability to sanction individuals for failure to conform to standards orexpectations, is the least-leveraged source of power.

6. The three sources of power leaders believe will be most important to leverage in thenext five years are the power of relationships, the power of information, and the powerto reward others.

7. The power of relationships is most often used to promote one’s own personal agenda.

8. Leaders suggest that the power of relationships can be better leveraged by identify-ing desired relationships, investing in those relationships, and repairing damaged relationships.


The concepts of power and leadership have been and will continue to be interconnect-ed. While an individual may exert power without being a leader, an individual cannotbe a leader without having power. For this study, the I2A team defined power simplyas ‘the potential to influence others.’ This definition helps demystify power and putsinto perspective the importance of using power in order to be an effective leader.

In organizational settings, leaders must exert power to achieve individual, team, andorganizational goals. Leaders must be able to influence their followers to achievegreater performance; their superiors and peers to make important decisions; and stake-holders to ensure the vitality of the organization.

H O W WA S T H E R E S E A R C H C O N D U C T E D ?

During a five-month period of 2007, data were collected from participants attending aCCL program via two complementary research methods. The first asked participants tocomplete a short survey on computer kiosks during their weeklong participation in aCCL program. These data were returned to them by the end of their program week.

The second method was an Internet survey that participants volunteered to take part inapproximately two weeks following their CCL experience. This survey was more in-depth and allowed the I2A research team to better understand the high-level trendsthat emerged from the in-class survey.

W H O PA R T I C I PAT E D I N T H E R E S E A R C H ?

In-Class SurveyThe initial survey on leadership power focused on high-level trends and was completedby 260 participants attending a leadership development program at CCL’s ColoradoSprings, CO USA campus. The typical participant was a male (73 percent), between theages of 36 and 50 years old (68 percent), representing upper-middle management or theexecutive level (64 percent).

Post-Program SurveyApproximately two weeks following the CCL program, 45 participants who volun-teered received an Internet survey that posed qualitative questions about power andleadership. The typical participant was male (64 percent), between the ages of 36 and 50(70 percent), at the executive level (43 percent).

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B A C K G R O U N D

Male

Female

Not Identified

73%

24%

3%

DEMOGRAPHICS: GENDER IN-CLASS PERCENTAGE

FIGURE 1

POST-PROGRAM PERCENTAGE

64%

36%


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We wanted to gauge the perception leaders have of their own sense of power. Based onthe sample of leaders surveyed, most recognize that they possess power at work.

There is also a notable correlation between how powerful a leader believes he or she isat work and that leader’s level in the organization. Leaders at a higher organizationallevel tended to rate themselves as more powerful at work, while those lower in theorganizational hierarchy tended to rate themselves as less powerful.

B A C K G R O U N D ( C O N T I N U E D )

26-30

31-35

36-40

41-45

46-50

51-55

56-60

61+

1%

8%

19%

24%

25%

14%

8%

1%

DEMOGRAPHICS: AGE IN-CLASS PERCENTAGE

FIGURE 2


2%

9%

25%

25%

20%

11%

8%

First Level

Middle Management

Upper Middle Management

Executive

Top Management

Not Identified

1%

17%

28%

36%

15%

3%

DEMOGRAPHICS: LEVEL IN ORGANIZATION IN-CLASS PERCENTAGE

FIGURE 3


2%

30%

16%

43%

9%

P O W E R A N D L E A D E R S H I P


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P O W E R A N D L E A D E R S H I P ( C O N T I N U E D )

We also sought to understand how power is perceived within organizations. The dataindicate some tensions around distribution of power.

Most of the survey respondents (59 percent agreement) believe that their organizationswork to empower their people at all levels, and 53 percent of those surveyed agreedthat their organization rewards leaders for empowering people.

Even so, over half (55 percent agreement) stated that power is concentrated among afew select individuals in their organization. Twenty-eight percent of survey participantsagreed that power is misused by top leaders within their organizations.

Only 29 percent believed that their organizations teach their leaders how to effectivelyleverage their full power.

These organizational trends relative to power and leadership suggest that while poweris not typically misused by top leaders, it does tend to be concentrated to a select fewindividuals. However, the flatter organizational structures and self-directed work teamsthat were first implemented through the empowerment movements of the 1980s and1990s are becoming commonplace. This trend may increase the level of empowermentthat employees experience in future years.

Organizations also reward leaders who empower the people they lead, thereby encour-aging overall employee empowerment; however, fewer organizations take the opportu-nity to teach leaders how to effectively use the power they possess. This leaves the defi-nition of appropriate and effective use of power largely up to individual leaders.

How powerful do you think you are at work? Survey participants were askedto rate how powerful they think they are at work on a 1 to 7 scale where 1equals ‘Not at all Powerful’ and 7 equals ‘Extremely Powerful.’

5% 5%

FIGURE 4


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P O W E R A N D L E A D E R S H I P ( C O N T I N U E D )

My organization empowers people at all levels.

In my organization, power is concentrated in the

hands of a few select individuals.

My organization rewards leaders for empowering their

people.

My organization teaches leaders how to leverage

their full power.

Power is misused by top leaders in my organization.

59%

55%

53%

29%

28%

PERCENTAGE AGREE

FIGURE 5

The Perception of Power. Survey participants were asked whether they agree

or disagree with a number of statements about power in their organizations.

When most people think about power, their minds go immediately to the control thathigh-level leaders exert from their positions atop the organizational hierarchy. Butpower extends far beyond the formal authority that comes from a title (or from havinga corner office with a view).

Leaders at all levels have access to power; often that power goes unrecognized orunderutilized. Previous research in this area has identified seven bases of power thatleaders may leverage:

The power of position is the formal authority that derives from a person’s title or posi-tion in a group or an organization.

The power of charisma is the influence that is generated by a leader’s style or persona.

The power of relationships is the influence that leaders gain through their formal andinformal networks both inside and outside of their organizations.

The power of information is the control that is generated through the use of evidencedeployed to make an argument.

The power of expertise is the influence that comes from developing and communicat-ing specialized knowledge (or the perception of knowledge).

The power of punishment is the ability to sanction individuals for failure to conform tostandards or expectations.

The power of reward is the ability to recognize or reward individuals for adhering tostandards or expectations.

S O U R C E S O F P O W E R


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In the survey, respondents were asked to identify the extent to which they currentlyleverage the various sources of power at work. The top three most frequently leveragedsources of power are: the power of expertise, the power of information, and the powerof relationships.

The least-leveraged source of power is the power of punishment. The low reliance onpunishment raises some important questions for leaders: Why don’t leaders use pun-ishment power more frequently? Is it because it is needed so rarely? Or are leadersreluctant to use punishment power because it is too draining and difficult to do so?

S O U R C E S O F P O W E R ( C O N T I N U E D )

FIGURE 6

Putting Power to Use. Survey participants were asked, “To what extent doyou leverage the following sources of power at work?” The figure below represents the average ratings for each base of power.

Survey respondents were also asked to identify which of the sources of power would bemost important in the next five years. Eighty-nine percent of participants reported thatthe power of relationships would be most important in the next five years followed bythe power of information (57 percent). This finding is illustrative of leadership in theage of networks. The proliferation of technology has contributed to the development ofvast and fast social and informational networks. The leaders of the future will need toknow how to leverage such networks to advance their relationships as well as their pro-curement of real and useful data.

The power to reward others ranked as the third most important source of power (51percent), with the power of expertise ranking fourth (48 percent).


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FIGURE 7

Looking ahead. What are the three sources of power most critical for you toleverage in the next five years?

The initial survey piqued our interest as to whether different sources of power weremore often leveraged with different stakeholders. In the post-program follow-up sur-vey, respondents were asked which sources of power they tend to use with their boss orsuperior, peers, or direct reports.

The results indicated that the power of expertise, the power of information and thepower of relationships were most used with boss and superiors, peers, and directreports. This finding parallels the above discussion and suggests that survey respon-dents are not leveraging other distinct sources of power with the different stakeholdergroups.

The same follow-up survey indicates that respondents need to leverage relationshippower even more with all stakeholder groups in order to be perceived as more effective.With direct reports, respondents say that it is also important for them to leverage thepower to reward more than they currently do.


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FIGURE 8

Power and the Boss. What source of power do you leverage most with yourBoss or Superior currently? What source of power do you need to leveragemore with your Boss or Superior in order to be a more effective leader?

FIGURE 9

Power with Peers. What source of power do you leverage most with yourPeers currently? What source of power do you need to leverage more withyour Peers in order to be a more effective leader?

4%0%

1%11%

14%44%

13%13%

17%20%

0%0%

0%7%

9%2%

4%11%

31%53%

29%13%

27%20%

0%0%

0%0%


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FIGURE 10

Power and Direct Reports. What source of power do you leverage most withyour direct reports currently? What source of power do you need to leveragemore with your direct reports in order to be a more effective leader?

Survey respondents recognized the power of relationships as a source of power theyfrequently leverage today, and a source of power they believe will be important toleverage in the future in order to be more effective leaders. Given the emphasis on rela-tionships reflected in the initial survey, we probed further about it in the post-programsurvey. We asked respondents to describe the situations in which they use the power ofrelationships and reflect on what they need to do to better leverage this power.

When asked about a situation in which they leveraged the power of relationships, sur-vey respondents frequently discussed promoting an agenda. They described this inthree different ways: promoting their own agenda, promoting someone else’s agenda,or promoting the organization’s agenda.

Promoting One’s Own AgendaSlightly more than half (52 percent) of the survey respondents described a situationwhere they promoted their own agenda. Typical responses described how respondentsused the power of relationships to “move [their own] project along,” to ask for [their]project to “be given more priority,” or to have colleagues help advocate for somethingthe respondent “felt strongly about.” Each of these instances illustrates situations inwhich survey respondents sought to advance their agendas (‘my project,’ ‘my agenda,’‘my decisions’).

Promoting Someone Else’s AgendaAlmost a quarter (23 percent) of the responses described situations in which surveyrespondents promoted someone else’s agenda. Many of the situations involved develop-ing or mentoring employees and leveraging the trust established in the relationship, or

T H E P O W E R O F R E L AT I O N S H I P S

7%2%

9%9%

27%40%

20%9%

27%9%

0%0%

11%31%


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T H E P O W E R O F R E L AT I O N S H I P S ( C O N T I N U E D )

advocating for that employee. Other situations described how survey respondents uti-lized their social network connections to assist others. Examples of typical responsesinclude helping a colleague fill a position by “introducing him to another person in mynetwork,” or assisting with a project through “personal contacts.”

Promoting the Organization’s AgendaA third type of situation in which survey respondents leveraged the power of relation-ships was in promoting the organization’s agenda (19 percent). These situations werenot focused on the “self” or specific “others.” Instead these situations focused on howthe power of relationships advanced the goals of larger organizational entities.Examples included how the power of relationships could be used to influence organi-zational change, “minimize conflict” between functional groups, or empower a broademployee base.

Using Relationship Power. Survey participants were asked to give an exam-ple of a situation where they leveraged the power of relationships. Theresponses fell into three main themes.

Promote own agenda

Promote someone else’s agenda

Promote organization’s agenda

Miscellaneous

52%

23%

19%

6%

PERCENTAGE

FIGURE 11

Given the potential advantages and disadvantages of leveraging the power of relation-ships, it is important to understand how leaders can improve their use of relationalpower. In the post-program survey respondents described what they need to betterleverage the power of relationships. Their responses can be summed up in three words:invest, identify, and repair.

InvestThe majority of responses (46 percent) spoke to the need to find the time and energy toinvest more in existing relationships. Many of the respondents expressed the need to“spend more time with others,” to keep “in touch” with others, or participate in moresocializing on non-work-related topics. A number of the respondents expressed theneed to share more about themselves with others, and to also listen and learn moreabout others.

IdentifyTwenty-six percent of the responses spoke to better leveraging the power of relation-ships by identifying a specific person with whom the respondent needed to establish arelationship. Survey respondents identified the need to develop better relationshipswith “my boss,” “senior executives,” “my peers,” and even to get more out of relation-ships with “my customers.”


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RepairThe survey respondents (23 percent) also recognized the need to repair damaged orneglected relationships. Responses described building or rebuilding relationships witha focus on creating more trust. The survey respondents also recognized the need torepair their own image. They spoke of being “more tolerant” and demonstrating confidence.

T H E P O W E R O F R E L AT I O N S H I P S ( C O N T I N U E D )

Improving Relationships. Survey participants were asked to give an exampleof what they need to do to better leverage the power of relationships. Theanswers fell into three main categories.

Invest

Identify

Repair

Miscellaneous

46%

26%

23%

5%

PERCENTAGE

FIGURE 12

T H E P O W E R O F I N F O R M AT I O N

Another source of power that respondents identified as being important to leverage inthe next five years is the power of information. Again, we asked respondents todescribe situations that illustrate how they leverage the power of information.

As would be expected, the situations reveal that it is not enough to possess informa-tion; rather the perception of power comes from the ways in which information is con-trolled and communicated. The majority of responses (78 percent) described one ofthree ways for leveraging the power of information.

Information AgentMost respondents (30 percent) leveraged the power of information by playing the roleof central node or conduit. These terms describe how respondents put themselves in aplace to centralize new information, and then once they have that information, theybecome a conduit to informing others. Respondents describe themselves as “well con-nected” with access to unique, little-known, and relevant pieces of information. Being acentral node or conduit creates a reputation for being the one to come to for the bestinformation. The respondent’s unique position in the information network affordedthem access to information and allowed them to be the distributor of that information.

Informing OthersOne way in which information was used (by 14 percent) was simply to inform others.Respondents described their use of data analysis to inform a decision or to provideoptions for superiors. In some situations, respondents used the sharing of information


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with customers in order to build trust and credibility. The informing of others illustrat-ed in these situations was less deliberate or tactical than the situations where respon-dents described themselves as central nodes or conduits. Informing others is moreabout leveraging the power of information through communication rather than control.

Influencing OthersAn extension of informing others is the purposeful use of information to influence andpersuade others. Twenty-four percent of the situations described how the respondentsused information to “sell others on an idea,” having enough information to “propose asolution” and “back up my idea.” These situations differed in tone from those ofinforming others because the examples went beyond simply sharing information todetailing the respondent’s ultimate purpose to influence and persuade others on a par-ticular position or outcome.

T H E P O W E R O F I N F O R M AT I O N ( C O N T I N U E D )

Using the Power of Information. Survey participants were asked to give anexample of a situation where they leveraged the power of information. Themajority of responses (78 percent) described one of three uses of informationas power.

Central Node or Conduit

To Inform

To Influence or Persuade

To Refute or Correct

Miscellaneous

30%

24%

24%

11%

11%

PERCENTAGE

FIGURE 13

U N D E R S TA N D I N G T H E O R G A N I Z AT I O N ’ S R O L E

Individual efforts are important to leveraging power in order to be a more effectiveleader, but organizations also play a crucial role.

While close to 60 percent of the respondents agreed their organizations empower peopleat all levels, far fewer (29 percent) agreed that organizations were teaching leaders howto leverage their full power. To better understand the organizational role in how leaderscould more effectively use power, we asked participants in the post-program survey torespond to the following question: What support do you need from your organization inorder to be more powerful at work? The responses tell an interesting story of organiza-tional needs.

Formal AuthorityThe highest percentage of responses (42 percent) indicated that respondents would feelmore powerful if they had more formal authority. Such leaders report needing “cleardirection on scope of authority” or “a different title” or “autonomy to make financial


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decisions.” In light of contemporary organizational structures, it is interesting that sucha great percentage of leaders would report needing more authority. With so many glob-al organizations operating with complex matrix structures, leaders are finding that theylack the formal authority to act on their own.

SupportAfter formal authority, the second greatest organizational inhibitor of the respondent’spower was a lack of support. Twenty-five percent of the respondents indicate the needfor support. Support is defined in terms of time (to learn, to think), openness (of cul-ture, of individuals) and encouragement. For instance, one participant indicates need-ing “transparency and openness” while another reports needing “my management totrust [me].”

Visibility and CultureThe final two organizational needs as indicated by survey respondents included visibil-ity and a culture/structure that will enhance their power. Thirteen percent of respon-dents indicate needing to “be seen.” For instance, several participants report needing“recognition” for the work they’ve done while another reports needing “continuedhigh-exposure, high-reward assignments.” An additional 13 percent of respondentsindicated the need for an organizational culture or structure that supports them beingmore powerful. Risk-averse, change-dreading cultures are reported as inhibiting theexercise of power. These findings reinforce the reality that even an individual with themost potential to influence can be rendered impotent in a context that doesn’t supporthis or her ideas.

U N D E R S TA N D I N G T H E O R G A N I Z AT I O N ’ S R O L E ( C O N T I N U E D )

The Organizational Role. Survey participants were asked, “What support doyou need from your organization to be more powerful at work?”

Formal Authority

Support

Visibility

Organizational Culture/Structure

Miscellaneous

42%

25%

13%

13%

7%

PERCENTAGE

FIGURE 14


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The findings from the CCL study suggest that leaders can be more effective when theyemphasize the power of relationships and the power of information, and also developtheir other available bases of power. Strategies for leveraging power effectively include:

Make relationships a priority. Identify the people with whom you need to establish ordevelop a relationship. Your ability to use the power of relationships will be compro-mised if you are not connecting with the right people. Invest time and energy into yourexisting relationships. Seek to understand others better and acknowledge the needs ofothers in order to build the social capital required to influence others now and in thefuture. Repair damaged relationships and the image others may have of you. Look forways to reestablish trust with others through face-to-face interaction and the sharing ofhonest feedback. Be aware of how others perceive you and look for ways to influencethe perception by soliciting feedback from trusted others.

Don’t overplay your personal agenda. While the power of relationships can be aneffective method for promoting your own agenda, it also runs the risk of having youperceived by others as self-serving, not a “team player,” or even deceitful. Leaders willneed to be aware of these negative perceptions if they are to effectively leverage thepower of relationships. Be careful to ensure that advancing your own agenda is notperceived as a misuse of power.

Maximize your communication network. Think about the people you communicatewith the most. Are they providing you with access to unique information or redundantinformation? Look to expand your communication network to find people who may beuntapped sources of information.

Be generous with information. If you are a central node or conduit of information,remember that keeping information to yourself has potential negative consequences.Share information broadly and with integrity. You don’t want to be perceived as hoard-ing information for your personal gain. Of course, you don’t want to make the oppositemistake and reveal confidential or personal information.

Make the most of your position. Research and experience suggest that authority doesnot automatically accompany a formal leadership role. We can all think of peers who,despite their similarities in tenure and level, may have more or less power than we do.In other words, position ain’t always power. To increase perceptions of your positionpower, find subtle ways to communicate your formal authority. You might include yourtitle on your e-mail signature, communicate in meetings where you normally keepquiet, or modify your style of dress so that you resemble people at the level above you.Meanwhile, expand your use of other sources of power.

Develop your brand of charisma. How would you feel if you were in an audiencewhere your normally low-key CEO “borrowed” the style of an energetic, larger-than-life motivational speaker? At best you might be amused; at worst, you would see theCEO as a pathetic impression of the real thing. The key to better leveraging the powerof charisma (whatever your level of charisma may be) is to make small changes in yourimage while maintaining your authenticity. Maintain the characteristics that make youwho you are, but try to identify two or three behaviors that might increase your abilityto connect with others (such as making more eye contact, smiling more often). Practicethose new behaviors, enlisting help from a coach or mentor.

H O W L E A D E R S L E V E R A G E P O W E R E F F E C T I V E LY


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H O W L E A D E R S L E V E R A G E P O W E R E F F E C T I V E LY ( C O N T I N U E D )

Be the expert. Perhaps the most interesting thing about power in general is that it is inthe eyes of the beholder. You can’t just have power de facto unless there are peoplewilling to perceive you as having power. The same holds true for expert power – itcomes from actual expertise (such as an advanced degree or relevant experience) or theperception of expertise. Don’t be shy about putting your credentials on your businesscards or on your e-mail signature, or talking about your experience and expertise.

Tailor your power to reward others. Many leaders mistakenly assume that leveragingreward power only means giving people more money. While this option sounds attrac-tive, it is not always possible. Instead, consider recognizing and incenting your teammembers in other ways. Ask your team members what they would find rewarding.Some team members may find a group picnic or outing highly rewarding. Others mayfind such an event tedious or tiring. Time off or flexibility of hours might work forsome employees; others may not even take notice. Whatever their incentive, don’t makethe mistake of assuming that one reward fits all.

Reward with words. Give positive feedback and give it often. CCL’s experience withleaders across industries tells us that during the course of a typical working relation-ship, it takes a ratio of 4:1 (4 positives for every negative) for a receiver of feedback tobelieve that the feedback has been fair. This does not mean that you have to give a teammember four positive pieces of feedback every time you have a negative message todeliver. What it does suggest is that many of us have a long way to go in terms ofacknowledging what our people are doing right. (Special note for spouses: ResearcherJohn Gottman has discovered that a ratio of 5 positives to 1 negative is the minimumstandard for married couples.)

Punish with purpose. While the power of punishment may conjure up terrible images,it can actually serve a very useful purpose. In today’s context of complex, global organi-zations, many employees are frustrated by lack of accountability at all levels. Whenteam members fail to live up to expectations, a good dose of corrective (but kind) feed-back can work wonders – not only to get the job done, but also to establish more powerfor yourself. Communicate and enforce your standards, but be sure to provide supportalong the way. Also, be explicit about consequences for behavior or results that don’tmeet expectations – and follow though consistently.

Teach others. Leveraging your full power does not require that you hoard it. If youwant to empower the people you lead, you also need to teach them to use the powerthey have available to them. Think about the people you lead and rank order thembased on their power. What are those at the top of the list doing effectively? Whatcould those at the bottom of the list be doing better? Use seven bases of power as a wayto evaluate, communicate, and teach about leadership power in your organization.


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R E F L E C T I O N Q U E S T I O N S

Are you as powerful as you could be at work?

What sources of power are you good at leveraging now, and what do you need towork on?

What about your organization gets in the way of being as powerful as you could be?

What could you do for your people to help them be more powerful?

R E S O U R C E S

Baldwin, David & Grayson, Curt. (2004) Influence: Gaining Commitment, GettingResults. Greensboro, NC: Center for Creative Leadership.

Grayson, Curt & Baldwin, David. (2007) Leadership Networking: Connect, Collaborate, Create. Greensboro, NC: Center for Creative Leadership.

Criswell, Corey & Campbell, David. (2008) Building an Authentic Leadership Image. Greensboro, NC: Center for Creative Leadership.

R E F E R E N C E S

Carrere, S. & Gottman, J. (1999). Predicting divorce among newlyweds from the firstthree minutes of a marital conflict discussion. Family Process, 38 (3), 293-301.

French, J. P. R. Jr., & Raven, B. (1960). The bases of social power. In D. Cartwrightand A. Zander (eds.), Group dynamics (pp. 607-623). New York: Harper and Row.


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Vidula Bal is a senior enterprise associate with the Center for Creative Leadership inColorado Springs, CO. Currently, she facilitates a variety of programs including theLeadership Development Program, the Looking Glass Experience, and Leadership andHigh-Performance Teams. She also serves in a lead faculty role on custom client engage-ments. When she is not in the classroom, she conducts research on a variety of topicsincluding power, the stress of leadership, and team effectiveness. Vidula holds a doctor-ate in Communication from the University of Texas at Austin.

Michael Campbell is a Senior Research Analyst at the Center for Creative Leadership.Michael’s work focuses on understanding the behaviors and challenges of senior execu-tive leaders including such topics as selection, sustaining tenure, and talent sustainabili-ty. He currently manages CCL’s assessment database which contains leadership data onover 40,000 individual leaders.

Judith Steed is a Research Associate and Executive Coach at the Center for CreativeLeadership. Judith seeks to identify and measure the sustainable business impact of exec-utive development programs. She leverages both research and evaluation to betterunderstand and strengthen program designs in service of improved personal and organi-zational leadership. She is particularly interested in the connection between personaltransformation and professional productivity.

Kyle Meddings is a senior at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs studyingManagement and Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management as well asLeadership Studies. He is also a fourth year scholar in the Chancellor’s Leadership Class.Kyle has been serving as an intern at the Center for Creative Leadership working withthe Ideas2Action project team.

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